Cartridge clips

ABSTRACT

A cartridge clip having a pair of relatively slidable members with projections which, when the clip is in the loaded condition and the members are locked together, engage the rims or grooves of the cartridges to hold these in the clip, but, when the clip is used in presenting the cartridge to the gun or to an associated part of this, the members are unlocked from each other and are slid relatively into a position to release the cartridge from the clip.

United States Patent Brint Sept. 12, 1972 [54] CARTRIDGE CLIPS [72]. Inventor: Norman Trevor Brint, Essex, En-

gland [73] Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Maiestys Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,

Whitehall, London SW. 1, England [22] Filed: NOV. 28, 1967 [21] Appl. No.: 686,355

[52] US. Cl ..89/34 [51] Int. Cl ..F42d 9/00 [58] Field Of Search ..89/34; 206/3; 42/87, 88

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS Simpson "89/34 I Primary Examiner-Stephen C. Bentley Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman ABSTRACT A cartridge clip having a pair of relatively slidable members with projecfions which; when the clip is in the loaded condition and the members are locked together, engage the rims or grooves of the cartridges to hold these in the clip, but, when the clip is used in presenting the cartridge to the gun or to an associated part of this, the members are unlocked from each other and are slid relatively into a position to release the cartridge from the clip.

10 aim 13 DPewi e aP P'A'TE'N'TEDsEP 12 I972 3.690.217

sum 3 or 4 FIG. 8.

l l L T I W Jnbm Inventor PATENTEDSEP 1 2 I972 3.690.217

7 saw u 0F 4 WV M lnven tor B W ha M Attorney sociated therewith, the locking means then being releasable so that the said members are then free to be slid relatively to each other to release the ammunition from the clip. The means for locking the members in engagement with the ammunition may be such that the action of presenting the charged clip to the gun or its feeding-mechanism will automatically free the locking means. The clip may be provided with means whereby, after the ammunition has been disengaged'from it, and

the clip has been removed from the gun or part associated therewith, the clipwill be locked in the open" condition.

In some cases, it maynot be sufficient for the ammunition merely to be disengaged from the clip, but to be pushed forwardly thereof after this disengagement, and the clip may be provided with means for meeting this requirement. Such means may, for example, comprise a handle by which the clip can be carried to transport the ammunition and load this into the gun or into the part associated therewith, and which handle has associated with it cartridge pusher means which is arranged to push forward the ammunition after the said disengagement.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are part sectional views of a cartridge clip according to the present invention, showing the positions into which the various parts move as the clip is used to present the ammunition to a gun or to the feed-mechanism thereof.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of one of the relatively slidable members.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the member shown in FIG. 4, as seen when looking upon one longitudinal edge of this.

' FIG. 6 is a rear elevation of the other slidable member.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the member shown in FIG. 6 as seen when looking upon one longitudinal edge of this.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation of the cartridge clip.

FIG. 9 is a rear elevation of the clip.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are respectively end and side views of a certain detail.

FIG. 12 is a front elevation of a clip showing a certain modification.

FIG. 13 is a view of a component of the clip shown in FIG. 12.

The clip shown in FIG. 1, 2 and 3 comprises plates 1 and 2, plate 1 of which is provide at two of its opposite edges with lugs 3, 4, bent to embrace the adjacent edge portions of the plate 2 so that rectilinear sliding movement can take place between these two plates transversely of their length.

V to the plates and will engage the rear face 9 of the groove 10 of each cartridge 11 at diametrically opposite parts of this groove. Plate 1 is the rear of two plates in the sense that it is the one that is the farthest from the cartridge bases. The purpose of inclining the intumed portions 7 and 8 of the flanges 5 and 6 each at an angle such as just mentioned is for them to lie at the same angles as the inclinedsurfaces of ramps l2, 13 carried at the respective sides of an opening 14 affording access through a plate 15 into a gun feedingmechanism or magazine (not shown), through which opening the cartridges will protrude when the charged clip is applied so that the intumed portions 7 and 8 contact the adjacent ramp surfaces.

Plate 1 .is provided with a pair of tongues 16, 16, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, which extend forwardly from just beyond the opposite edge of this plate to that at which is formed the flange 5 thereof, in fact, in the direction in which the cartridges would protrude from the clip, but this plate is slit so that each of these tongues has its origin at a point toward the major axis of this plate and each of the tongues therefore comprises two parts bent at right angles to each other. The material of which is formed the plate 1 which carries the tongues 16, 16, is springy and consequently the tongues are also springy. The outer portion of the forwardly projecting part of each tongue l6, 16, is narrower than the remainder of the tongue so that steps of equal width are formed in opposite edges of these forwardly projecting tongue parts as shown in FIG. 5.

Formed in plate 2 is a pair of slots 17, 17 (FIGS. 6 and 8) arranged parallel to the path of permitted relative slidingmovement between the two plates, which slots are so located and are of such width as to allow the passage through them of the narrower portions only of the tongues 16, but each of its opposed longitudinal edges has formed in it a recess 18, which two recesses are arranged precisely opposite to each other to form what is in effect a transverse slot to the main slot, each of which transverse slots is of such length as to permit the passage through it of the wider portion of the forwardly projecting part of the respective tongue 16 when the clip is closed upon the cartridges so that the plates are then locked against relative sliding movement. The intumed outer part 8 of the flange 6 of the plate 2 is provided with open ended clearance slots 18a for the tongues 16. The arrangement is such that, when the charged clip is handled in introducing the cartridge into the aforesaid opening 14 giving access to the gun feed-mechanism or magazine, the forward, narrow, end portions of the tongues enter recesses 19 in the plate 15, in which recesses they bottom with the result that, as the clip is pushed further forward, the tongues are sprung backwards so that the wider portions thereof move out of the previously described transverse slots 18 and unlock the plates so that these are now free to effect relative sliding movement. This relative sliding movement between the plates will now take place upon the clip being pressed still further forward, because the inclined parts 7 and 8 of the flanges and 6 will slide upon the correspondingly inclined surfaces of the ramps 12, 13, and so cause the cartridges to be freed from engagement with the ends of these inwardly inclined flange parts.

In order to prevent the cartridge sliding out of the ends of the clip, the front plate is provided at approximately the middle of each of its end edges with a forwardly projecting lug 20.

In addition to the two pairs of recesses which form the aforesaid transverse slots 18 to the main slots 17, two further recesses 21, 21, are provided in the opposed edges of each main slot, to form a second, similar, transverse slot. These further transverse slots 21 are arranged so that they can co-operate with the tongues l6 16, in the same manner as the first transverse slots, l8, 18, but in this latter case, to lock the clip in an open position.

The clip is provided along its back with a handle 22 formed from a sheet metal body of rectangular channel section, as shown more clearly in FIG. 10, from the opposite corresponding wall parts of which panels have been removed to leave pairs of forwardly extending lugs 23, 23, there being one pair of these lugs for each cartridge, as shown in FIG. 11.

The outer end portions of the pairs of lugs 23, 23, are turned inwardly toward each other and the extremities of these inturned portions are provided with lateral extensions 24, which make these ends T-shaped, and the plate I of the clip is provided with pairs of longitudinal slots 25, 25, as shown more clearly in FIG. 4, of a size through which these T-shaped ends can pass. The plate 2 is provided with transverse slots 26 (FIGS. 6 and 8) of a width very slightly in excess of that of the narrower parts of the lugs 23 disposed inwardly of the said lateral extensions 24, and these transverse slots 26 are provided with enlargements 27, 27, which will permit the passage through this plate of the T-shaped ends of the lugs at one side of the handle when these enlargements are in register with the longitudinal slots in the rear plate, so that, when these enlargements 27 and the longitudinal slots 25 are then moved out of register by appropriate relative lateral sliding movement between the plates 1 and 2, these lugs 23 cannot be withdrawn. The plate 2 is provided along its longitudinal edge, remote from the flange of this plate with recesses 28 of the same width as the transverse slots 26 and these recesses 28 are so arranged that, when the relative sliding movement just described takes place, those narrow parts of the lugs 23 at the other side of the handle which are inside the lateral projections 24 of these lugs will enter these recesses and so will also be secured against retraction. The arrangement is, of course, such that the handle 22 will be captive in the charged clip.

The lugs 23 of the handle 22 are so arranged that the outer inturned T-shaped end portions of each pair of these will be located at the base of the respective cartridges 1 l in the clip, and so that continued pressure on the handle after the release of the cartridge from the flanges will cause the outer ends of the pairs of lugs to push the respective cartridges through the opening giving access to the aforesaid gun feeding-mechanism or magazine, without contacting the percussion caps.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily understood that the clip may be completely disassembled after the handle has been removed.

Instead of the main slots 17 being provided with the recesses 21, 21, with which, as previously described, the tongues 16 can engage to lock the clip in the open position, after the cartridges have been freed therefrom, to prevent the cartridge clip becoming disassembled, these recesses may be dispensed with. In this case, those of the slots 26 at the opposite ends of the plate 2 are provided each at one side with a projection 29, as shown in FIG. 12, and the aforesaid narrower portion of each of the end lugs 23 of the handle 22 is provided with a recess 30 as shown in FIG. 13, arranged to permit the passage therethrough of the appropriate projection 29 to enable the clip to be disassembled.

lclaim:

1. A cartridge clip comprising two relatively slidable members carrying cartridge base portion engaging elements arranged to hold the cartridges in the clip when the said members have been slid into relative predetermined positions, and positive locking means for preventing relative sliding of said members whereby the said members are maintained in these positions until the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun or a part associated therewith, the said locking means then being releasable whereafter said members are free to be slid relatively to each other to release the cartridges from the clip.

2. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said locking means is arranged to engage the gun or part associated therewith, when the clip is used to present the cartridges, and is thereby operated to release the slidable members.

3. A cartridge clip comprising two relatively slidable members carrying cartridge base portion engaging elements arranged to hold the cartridges in the clip when the said members have been slid into relative predetermined positions, and locking means whereby the said members are maintained in these positions, said locking means having a part which engages the gun or part associated therewith, when the clip is used to present the cartridges, and is thereby operated to unlock the said members to permit them to be slid relatively to release the cartridges, and means whereby the said slidable members will be locked in the open position after the cartridges have been released, together with pusher means which becomes operable, after the relatively slidable members have been moved into a position to release the cartridges, to push these forwardly clear of the clip.

4. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said pusher means comprises a handle by which the charged clip may be carried.

5. A cartridge clip comprising a pair of plates constrained to slide relatively one upon the other transversely of their length and provided with projections which engage the appropriate parts of the basal portions of the cartridges at diametrically opposite parts thereof to hold the cartridges in the clip, and locking means for locking the plates against relative sliding movement when the clip is in the loaded condition, but which locking means is operable to release the plates to slide relatively to increase the distance between these projections to free the cartridges, when the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun or to a part associated therewith.

6. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 5 in which the i said locking means comprises spring tongues provided upon one of the plates, which tongues have shaped parts which, when the clip is charged, pass into and key in slots formed in the other plate and lock the plates against relative sliding movement, said tongues being arranged so that when the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun, the tongues are flexed to free their shaped portions from the slots thereby to permit the necessary sliding movement between the plates to release the cartridge from the clip.

7. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 6, in which the plate having the said slots is provided with further slots, similar to the first-mentioned slots, but arranged so that the said shaped parts of the tongues will spring into and key in these further slots to lock the clip in the open condition, after the cartridges have been released.

8. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 5, having pusher means which becomes operable after the plates have been slid relatively to free the cartridges, to push the cartridges forwardly clear of the clip.

9. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said pusher means comprises a handle by which the charged clip is carried, which handle is provided with lugs which, when the clip is in the loaded condition, extend between the handle and the bases of the cartridges, so that, after the cartridges have been freed form the clip, the handle can be operated to push the cartridges forwardly clear of the clip.

10. A cartridge clip comprising two relatively slidable members carrying cartridge base portion engaging elements arranged to hold the cartridges in the clip when the said members have been slid into relative predetermined positions, and locking means whereby the said members are maintained in these positions until the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun or a part associated therewith, the said locking means then being releasable so that said members are free to be slid relatively to each other to release the cartridges from the clip; the said locking means being arranged to engage the gun or part associated therewith, when the clip is used to present the cartridges, and is thereby operated to release the slidable member; and further having means whereby, after the cartridges have been released and the clip has moved away from the gun or part associated therewith, the clip will be locked in the open condition. 

1. A cartridge clip comprising two relatively slidable members carrying cartridge base portion engaging elements arranged to hold the cartridges in the clip when the said members have been slid into relative predetermineD positions, and positive locking means for preventing relative sliding of said members whereby the said members are maintained in these positions until the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun or a part associated therewith, the said locking means then being releasable whereafter said members are free to be slid relatively to each other to release the cartridges from the clip.
 2. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said locking means is arranged to engage the gun or part associated therewith, when the clip is used to present the cartridges, and is thereby operated to release the slidable members.
 3. A cartridge clip comprising two relatively slidable members carrying cartridge base portion engaging elements arranged to hold the cartridges in the clip when the said members have been slid into relative predetermined positions, and locking means whereby the said members are maintained in these positions, said locking means having a part which engages the gun or part associated therewith, when the clip is used to present the cartridges, and is thereby operated to unlock the said members to permit them to be slid relatively to release the cartridges, and means whereby the said slidable members will be locked in the open position after the cartridges have been released, together with pusher means which becomes operable, after the relatively slidable members have been moved into a position to release the cartridges, to push these forwardly clear of the clip.
 4. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said pusher means comprises a handle by which the charged clip may be carried.
 5. A cartridge clip comprising a pair of plates constrained to slide relatively one upon the other transversely of their length and provided with projections which engage the appropriate parts of the basal portions of the cartridges at diametrically opposite parts thereof to hold the cartridges in the clip, and locking means for locking the plates against relative sliding movement when the clip is in the loaded condition, but which locking means is operable to release the plates to slide relatively to increase the distance between these projections to free the cartridges, when the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun or to a part associated therewith.
 6. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 5 in which the said locking means comprises spring tongues provided upon one of the plates, which tongues have shaped parts which, when the clip is charged, pass into and key in slots formed in the other plate and lock the plates against relative sliding movement, said tongues being arranged so that when the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun, the tongues are flexed to free their shaped portions from the slots thereby to permit the necessary sliding movement between the plates to release the cartridge from the clip.
 7. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 6, in which the plate having the said slots is provided with further slots, similar to the first-mentioned slots, but arranged so that the said shaped parts of the tongues will spring into and key in these further slots to lock the clip in the open condition, after the cartridges have been released.
 8. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 5, having pusher means which becomes operable after the plates have been slid relatively to free the cartridges, to push the cartridges forwardly clear of the clip.
 9. A cartridge clip as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said pusher means comprises a handle by which the charged clip is carried, which handle is provided with lugs which, when the clip is in the loaded condition, extend between the handle and the bases of the cartridges, so that, after the cartridges have been freed form the clip, the handle can be operated to push the cartridges forwardly clear of the clip.
 10. A cartridge clip comprising two relatively slidable members carrying cartridge base portion engaging elements arranged to hold the cartridges in the clip when the said members have been slid into relative predetermined positions, and locking means whereby the said members are maintained in these positions until the clip is used in the presentation of the cartridges to the gun or a part associated therewith, the said locking means then being releasable so that said members are free to be slid relatively to each other to release the cartridges from the clip; the said locking means being arranged to engage the gun or part associated therewith, when the clip is used to present the cartridges, and is thereby operated to release the slidable member; and further having means whereby, after the cartridges have been released and the clip has moved away from the gun or part associated therewith, the clip will be locked in the open condition. 